September 7 at Riverworks and River Fest Park

Music is Art

Long before the Borderland and Cobblestone festivals were even conceived, Goo Goo Dolls cofounder Robbie Takac and his collaborators saw the need for a homegrown summertime event celebrating WNY-based musicians and artists as part of a larger plan to encourage the inter-generational creativity that is so essential to the life of our community. They’ve been at it for more than a decade and a half now, weathering several changes of venue and growing ever more ambitious while remaining true to their original vision. This year Music is Art is back at Riverworks and River Fest Park, boasting more than 150 musical acts, dancers, poets, and performance artists (to say nothing of a jaw-dropping 140 DJs) across twenty-one stages, along with fifty visual artists and craftspeople. Yes, the “zombies and weirdos” traditionally promised on the poster will be back, too, and there are plenty of kid-friendly interactive spaces. Best of all, funds raised support the organization’s seemingly endless behind-the-scenes educational activities all year round.